Physics of a Dog Fight

This video blog takes an in-depth analysis of a dog fight between two dogs, one named Buell and the other Heli.  Pay close attention to their styles.

Leatherman MUT: Only the greatest tool ever in existance

I really don't need to say anything more about this tool.  It is simply the greatest multi-tool ever invented in the history of everything.  If I hadn't already proposed to my current fiance I would have asked my the Leatherman MUT to marry me.  You name it, this thing has it: Super-sharp-ass knife (a technical term), firearm disassembly, C4 punch, brass scraper, screwdrivers, cutting hook, wire cutters, saw, hammer. Just watch the video and tell me you aren't drooling.

Electrical Motors

Exibit A: Electric Motor

Electrical motors, just like Legos, make the world go round.  But seriously, they do make the world go round.  The earth spins on a giant motor, you didn't know that?  Anyways it would probably be a good idea to tell you about the basic types of motors: AC and DC.  AC, or alternating current, motors are driven by AC power and can power anything from a refrigerator to HVAC system in Brown Building.  Typically, AC motors are used for constant speed applications.  DC, or direct current, motors are driven by DC power and are typically used to power anything that operates on a battery.  Robots, automobile starters, and the playstation 3 controller are all powered by batteries and require DC power to drive their motors.  One significant advantage of DC motors is their ability to provide a high starting torque, approximately 6x that of AC power.  This large starting torque is need for various applications, such as starting your car on a cold winter morning.

Below is a video demonstration of how the internal components of a DC motor work together.  It is a bit technically but honestly the only way to understand a motor is get technical.  Here is the untechnical side of a motor:  I plug the electrical cord into the wall and it starts spinning. Done.

For the techs (do not read if you do not have an engineering degree, it will only melt your mind): So basically an electric DC voltage is applied across the green +- potential, which induces a current in what is called the rotor.  This current thereby creates a magnetic field which interacts with a permanent magnetic field provided by the stator in blue.  This interaction between the two magnetic fields results in a force which caused the rotor to spin a specific direction.

Clean Power

When dad brings home a brand new TV on Sunday afternoon that he just picked up from Ultimate Electronic's going out of business sale, he usually doesn't think twice when plugs the power cord into the wall for the first time. Most electronic consumers are not aware of the 'unclean', or dirty power delivered to consumers,  or the fact that it can and will be very harmful to your electronics.

The electrical companies won't tell you that they really don't give a rat's ass what kind of power is delivered to your house.  As long as they get close enough to 120V+/-10V, that's good enough for them.  I am sure most of us have randomly turned on our TV or some other electronics to find it exploding or simply not working.  Ever seen the lights dim when the refrigerator turns on?  These are all example of dirty power that can harm electronics.  Below is a plot of clean and dirty power constancy.  Granted the plots have not units, what they are really illustrating is the RMS (root mean square) power delivered to a device.

Below is a video (courtesy of Monster Power) that explains exactly what is going on with electrical power.

The point is, it is essential to provide & protect your electronic devices with surge protection, noise filters, isolation, and voltage stabilization.  This protection significantly increases the longevity of your electronics as well as their overall performance.  I have personal experience with failed equipment that was not protected.  Even after one of my pieces of electrical equipment had failed on standard power, I was able to power it with clean power and the device started working again just because it had the correct power.  

Moral of the story: If you have any respect for your equipment, you should think twice about plugging it into any random outlet.

Robotic Tracks / Treads

Tracks or treads, whatever you want to call them, are often the first thing that pop into many people's heads when someone mentions the word robot.  During my robotics course, I have run into a number of tread configurations, some better than others.  Below I have stolen a diagram that reveals a number of track configurations:

I have personally used methods A, E, and C.  The simple method (A) is relatively easy to configure but often requires re-gearing in order to drive the treads.  Most of the time the motor will not fit directly on the wheel since the treads are low to the ground.  In an attempt the correct the problem, I changed my robot to tread configuration E.  My mistake was I used the upper wheel to drive the treads.  Big mistake because in order to effectively drive the treads they should wrap close to 180 degrees around the wheel.  The upper wheel in configuration E wraps about 45 degrees and slips terribly.  In an effort to correct this problem, i changed to configuration C.  This has proven to be an effective design because it keeps tension in the treads and wraps the treads about 180 degrees around the drive wheel.  Below is a photo of my latest and greatest robot:

Happy roboting.

Essential Engineering Tools: A Video Blog

Just watch it and don't ask.

Evolution Wars: The New Global Warming Stunt

Just like global warming, the Evolution Wars represent another publicity stunt in an effort to obtain funding to research something.  Evolutionists strongly believe that life itself is a result of organisms evolving from one another as a result of Darwin's theory, survival of the fittest.  These new age Intelligent Design people on the other hand strongly believe there is no possible way life could have evolved on it's own and somewhere it received a 'little push' in the right direction from an intelligent designer (aka God).  Evolutionists can explain everything back to the Big Bang.  Their biggest flaw is they have no concrete idea where the bang came from.  A good Christian would proudly admit this bang came from God.

What I don't understand is these two things, evolution and intelligent design, can be considered the same thing.  That is to say, one could believe in both evolution and intelligent design.  Since atomic theory is still just a theory, we have no definite knowledge of the true design behind the atom and matter itself.  Did anyone stop to think that maybe, just maybe matter was design to 'evolve'.  Bonding is a natural phenomena that occurs in all matter.  If matter was all ready preprogramed to evolve, then both intelligent design and evolution occurs at the same time, and both parties are correct.  Just something to think about.

My Short Story

The moment that changed my life was the one knee inquiry I presented to my girlfriend of five years.  Moments before the big question, I tried to be somewhat of a gentleman and ask her father for permission.  His reply started with an "Oh no..." and ended with an "... I guess."

Bow-tying the ringbox with a bright red ribbon around my yellow lab's neck, I sent my furry friend into my girlfriend's grandparent's house, where her family gathers every Christmas morning like this one.  To my surprise, the mut actually made it through the house and to my girlfriend with the ring in one piece.  He then proceeded to meet my expectations when he violently shook the ring across the room the instant he arrived at her feet.  I'm still not sure why she said yes.